Max Mosley has written to FOTA with his proposed way out of the current mess:

“Under the International Sporting Code (Art. 66) we cannot now change the published 2010 rules unless we have the consent of all the competitors who have entered. However once we have a list of confirmed entries, we can make changes provided we have the necessary unanimous agreement.

You therefore have the option of participating in this process as a confirmed entrant, or not. In order to participate, you should now write to us confirming that your entry is unconditional.

It is of course up to you, but the simplest way to ensure that all entrants run under the same rules would be if everyone entered under the cost-cap rules as published and then all entrants cooperated to agree modifications to those rules which would make the proposition workable for all parties.”

According to Mosley the meetings with all 2010 entrants can start immediately after June 12 when the entries are announced. FIA expects the response from the teams by Tuesday June 9.

He also mentioned FIA is ready to discuss new Concorde agreement but not before the 2010 entry list is settled.

Rather conciliatory Mosley however also hinted, that not all current teams may be back in 2010 …

“Also, the FIA will need to know who to discuss the draft with. There will certainly be new teams in 2010 and it presently seems unlikely that all of the 2009 teams will participate in 2010. Obviously the draft should be discussed between those that will participate only.”

Why on Earth couldn’t these proposed talks take place before the 2010 regulations were published …

This all seems to be taking place too late. The aims of the new and existing teams are largely opposed, so I don’t expect FOTA will be prepared to take a chance that they can persuade all new entrants to agree to rule changes.

What’s more, this isn’t good news for the new teams either. They need to begin designing their cars as soon as possible, but that will be made somewhat difficult with Max accepting that there may be further regulation changes.

Agreed, Mosley couldh ave made this clear logn ago, but continues to push for time at the last minute to get teams on his side, this will never happen as his bartering skills clearly suck as he doesn’t wish to play ball or give any control to teams whatsoever. He seems to forget they are the blood of the sport and without them it dies!

New teams don’t want further changes so if they continue to make adjustments after the date, then again he shoots himself in the foot, all he gets is a bunch of teams who all don’t know what to do about next year and more grumblings about the FIA and there constant farce in controlling what they shouldn’t be even running.

well, the other possibility is that FIA may select those entries that would not have problem to accept FOTA’s proposals. I would not be surpised if Mosley leaks the names of the potential 3 new entrants FIA plans to select to FOTA, so FOTA can get their opinion before confirming anything to FIA.

Thats basically what the teams have now as a “conditional” entry. If they were to unconditionally sign up, then they would pay some hefty fines for breaking away from the series as they would be under contract.

Right now they have paid the entry fee with conditions that must be met before the 12th otherwise they don’t count. This is why Mosley wants them to sign unconditionally, that way they are locked in and then if they can’t get the changes they want, they either have to fork out a huge fine to leave, or fall into line and go with whatever the FIA decide for the championship rules.

This is why the teams are having so many problems and arguements with Mosley because he is literally ruling with an iron fist and taking no prisoners in his aim to create a cheaper category of racing. All he is really doing and he still doesn’t understand this, is ruin the series for everyone.

Unfortunately it is more likely that teams will seek a break away series.
There are rumours that they have been seeking out the head of Moto GP for his help on this, though nothing has been substantiated or confirmed about this.

If teams were to sign of officially to the 2010 season per Mosleys “current” rules, the only way that changes can be made as per his statement, is for a unanimous agreement from all teams, now that seems like it’s easy enough, but remembering that there would be a further three teams, then plus Force India and Williams to that and there are five teams straight away who are likely to oppose any adjustments to the budget cap meaning that anything the teams want to change won’t get passed anyway.

Apparently Mosley thinks that the FOTA is stupid enough to believe that they wouldn’t notice something like that!

In all truth, right now with Mosley being a stuck up idiot who sees it as his way or nothing, thats what he is likely to get! NOTHING!!!

Right now i am totally in agreeance with the FOTA and would happily follow them as a supporter to a new breakaway series because they are F1, not anyboyd else, not ecclestone, not mosley and not any new team that enters the championship.

Mosley really has to start working with the FOTA and give them better reasons to stay otherwise this threat of a breakaway will materialise very quickly and Mosley will be left looking like a total numbskull. (Though he already is in my opinion!!)

I think that the only way for FOTA to accept the proposals in Mosley’s letter would be some guarantees that the rules will indeed be changed.

But how can Mosley and FIA guarantee something that must be unanimously agreed on by all 2010 teams, including the new entrants (who may have different agenda) as well as Williams (in favour of budget cap) and Force India … Whatever guarantees from Mosley would mean aboit as much as the promise of customer cars given to potential new entrants few years ago …

the breakaway series probably is the back up option for FOTA, but it will not be that easy to pull it off. any racing series needs venues, TV coverage and TV money. To negotiate everything from scracth while the existing deals between F1 (FOM) and tracks and broadcasters are in place, that would be a nightmare. Not impossible but still a nightmare. I am not sure the manufacturers want to go through that. The car companies have much more serious problems to face these days …

Doesn’t mean teams won’t go through with it, maybe take a “sabbatical” and focus on creating the new championship. As much as it would pain me to see them all dissapear, if they were to return in a series that was better and not so political as it is now…..

It’s all hope and theories at the moment though so i guess all we can do is wait and report and then comment some more on the next change! lol

They all know that neither exists without the other (FIA and FOTA). There is no way that FOTA can organize a break away series for 2010. Furthermore, any attempt to break away will most likely end with the same issues.

FIA can not exist with most of the current teams and F1 will not be the same without Ferrari! They all know that.

The posturing will end eventually, and we will see Ferrari, and most of the current teams running in 2010 for F1.